Ruthless Revenge

Chapter 17

Dedicated to @istalkmyguy03 thank you much for your comments. They make me laugh, I love the energy you give to my book. :)

I stood in the middle of my apartment as tears ran down my face. What will I do? Holden had every intention of following up on his threats. What will I do?

I wanted nothing more than to pack our bags and start running. Find a place to hide myself and my baby until Holden lost interest and gave up.

But I knew Holden better than that, though, didn't I?

He would be more inclined to give up breathing or walking upright than he would to walk away from his child. There was nowhere I could go, nowhere I could hide that he wouldn't find me.

So I might as well save myself the time and trouble and just face the music. I'd composed the symphony, after all. But I definitely won't give Kieran up without a child. I'm his mother. There is no way the state of Illinois would take away a child from his mother right? Holden didn't know anything about Kieran. He's only seen him twice.

The most Holden will get is parental responsibilities and legal custody.

I took a deep breath and tried to gather my thoughts. However, a knock on my door made me frown.

What did Holden forget?

Should I answer?

"It's Christina. Open up!"

"Christina?" I asked in surprise. What was Christina doing knocking on my door?

"Yes. Christina. Open the door!" she responded in haste.

"It's open, just push," I answered.

Christina quickly entered and closed the door behind her. She leaned against the door and took a few breaths before she saw my face.

She frowned at me. "Are you okay?" She moved from the door and walked over to me. "Are you okay?" she asked again before glancing at the door. "The guy that just came out of your apartment, did he do something to you? Did he hurt you?" she stared at me with a worried face and minty green eyes.

Before I realized what she was doing she reached for me and wrapped me in her arms. I made my efforts to step back or pull out of her embrace. Instead, I rested my cheek on her chest, right against her beating heart, and I cried.

I cried.

I knew I didn't have to tell her why. I'd bottled up my emotions for so many years and now it was time to let them flow free. I cried for what could have been, for what never was, for the guilt I'd borne, and now and what the future held.

I cried because once again, my life is going to be in shambles.

Why don't I ever get a break? Why do heartbreak and calamity always follow me?

I sobbed and Christina just held me in her arms, giving me words of comfort.

She let me cry and when, after long moments my hiccups softened into sighs, she pulled me out of the hug and dragged me towards my couch.

She took a few Kleenex tissues from the box on the coffee table and used them to wipe my eyes. When the tears were all gone she looked and me, "Are you ready to talk now?"

I wiped my eyes and chuckled. "Where to begin?"

She shrugged, her red hair bouncing on her shoulders. "Anywhere."

I took a deep breath. "That guy that you just saw leaving my apartment..." I pointed towards the door. "That's Kieran's father and he wants to take Kieran away from me." I sniffed and wiped a single tear that was falling from my eyes.